What's up with the backline this year?

[kickazz]

It just hasn't really clicked all year.

Conceding easy goals, not as much counter attacking (kicking or running). Finger pointing and confusion at the games.

One excuse for sure has been the poor midfield, some entries just cannot be defended.

But they have looked flakey and disconnected. My question is: Why?


SDK bad year with injury leading to poor confidence?

Tuohy and Bews a bit old now and lacking run?

Sav not quite gelling with the others?

Kolo going from being great in the PF last year to really battling.

Stewart up and down. Zuthrie not as dynamic with the ball.

I can't put my finger on it, but it just hasn't really looked solid all year. Any ideas?

 

[iameviljez]

It just hasn't really clicked all year.

Conceding easy goals, not as much counter attacking (kicking or running). Finger pointing and confusion at the games.

One excuse for sure has been the poor midfield, some entries just cannot be defended.

But they have looked flakey and disconnected. My question is: Why?


SDK bad year with injury leading to poor confidence?

Tuohy and Bews a bit old now and lacking run?

Sav not quite gelling with the others?

Kolo going from being great in the PF last year to really battling.

Stewart up and down. Zuthrie not as dynamic with the ball.

I can't put my finger on it, but it just hasn't really looked solid all year. Any ideas?

Easy to look good when you are on top in the middle

 

[catempire]

I’d say a large part of it is fitness. We started preseason late, celebrated hard all summer, and then started to cop injuries from day dot. It meant we never caught up.

Backline performance is a function of skill, work ethic, fitness, organisation and how well the players further up the ground protect you through pressure. We’ve failed on almost all counts this year.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Our backline looked best when we had the same guys who played on our Premiership team last year all playing. Sav throws it out of kilter, IMO.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

I’d say a large part of it is fitness. We started preseason late, celebrated hard all summer, and then started to cop injuries from day dot. It meant we never caught up.

Backline performance is a function of skill, work ethic, fitness, organisation and how well the players further up the ground protect you through pressure. We’ve failed on almost all counts this year.

This.

Can't start that far behind and expect it to all click during the year and win it again without putting in the work like other teams did last offseason.

 

[Footy Smarts]

I’d say a large part of it is fitness. We started preseason late, celebrated hard all summer, and then started to cop injuries from day dot. It meant we never caught up.

Backline performance is a function of skill, work ethic, fitness, organisation and how well the players further up the ground protect you through pressure. We’ve failed on almost all counts this year.

Lol. The slow start might've had a bit more to do with Kolo, Henry, Stewart, SDK and Bews all bring injured early in the season than any supposed laziness in preseason.

 

[Ricky Vaughn]

I’m hoping somebody can help me with stats here, but I reckon we’re a bottom 4 side for pressure, and it’s putting a huge strain on the defence.

That said, every defender (bar Stewart) is having a worse individual season than last year, Bews and SDK far worse.

 

[JohnZ]

Midfield issues mainly. How many easy turnovers were the Pies given today that resulted in a 3 on 1 against us.

 

[Warhorse]

Midfield getting flogged most weeks makes the backline look bad.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

Injuries have played a massive part - always seems to be at least one important cog missing from defence. Henry and Bews currently.

But it's not even just the back 6. A huge factor in our defence last year was the Stanley/Blicavs combination allowing Stanley to drop back behind play. Stanley missed half the season and Blicavs is currently injured.

Just no continuity to build any cohesion.

No doubt other factors as well, but I think injuries has to be a clear #1.

 

[catempire]

Last year we ranked 1st for conceding inside 50s. This year we rank 2nd.

 

[cats_09]

Last year we ranked 1st for conceding inside 50s. This year we rank 2nd.

This may be a stupid question but some clarity for the above - is that for conceding the most or fewest inside 50s?

 

[TheYid]

We look unbalanced back there- and the brain fades have been from every player. Even Stewart has turned the ball over at crucial times. No idea how to fix it.

 

[Strange Cat]

Fitness and being unsettled for most of the years with the injuries

 

[catempire]

This may be a stupid question but some clarity for the above - is that for conceding the most or fewest inside 50s?

As in we were the best and now we are second best.

 

[cats_09]

As in we were the best and now we are second best.

Cheers

So the often repeated line that our defensive issues stream from our midfield issues doesn't really hold up

 

[catempire]

Cheers

So the often repeated line that our defensive issues stream from our midfield issues doesn't really hold up

Certainly not entirely, and I doubt it’s even in the top 3-4 factors.

Our backline has looked disorganised and lacklustre all year.

 

[you pick one]

Injuries have played a massive part - always seems to be at least one important cog missing from defence. Henry and Bews currently.

But it's not even just the back 6. A huge factor in our defence last year was the Stanley/Blicavs combination allowing Stanley to drop back behind play. Stanley missed half the season and Blicavs is currently injured.

Just no continuity to build any cohesion.

No doubt other factors as well, but I think injuries has to be a clear #1.

Knocked it out of the park Slug.

 

[STPer18]

Collectively they look a shadow of last year's unit, same can be said individually. New bugbear of mine this season is the inability to kill the high balls on the goal-line. SDK is going through a rough patch but I think he'll bounce back, and he, Stewart and Henry are the only three I think are high quality defenders.

 

[you pick one]

This blokes getting a free ride in this thread.Here is a little thing I use to gauge work rate and genuine commitment to the contest it's basis is free kicks fore and against

Zuthrie frees fore and against 2022, 35 off 21 games
Zuthrie frees fore and against 2023, 17 off 20 games

As a backman you have to be prepared to get your hands dirty.I'd love to have heard what Stewart had to say to him after I think it was the Pendlfairy goal.

 

[catempire]

This blokes getting a free ride in this thread.Here is a little thing I use to gauge work rate and genuine commitment to the contest it's basis is free kicks fore and against

Zuthrie frees fore and against 2022, 35 off 21 games
Zuthrie frees fore and against 2023, 17 off 20 games

As a backman you have to be prepared to get your hands dirty.I'd love to have heard what Stewart had to say to him after I think it was the Pendlfairy goal.

That’s a novel one.

More disposals, more tackles, more clearances, fewer clangers, more contested possessions, more efficient disposals, more 1%ers in 2023.

But I guess fewer frees for trumps all that

 

[you pick one]

That’s a novel one.

More disposals, more tackles, more clearances, fewer clangers, more contested possessions, more efficient disposals, more 1%ers in 2023.

But I guess fewer frees for trumps all that

I agree it's novel and most stats are just that stats but I believe free kicks fore and against are a window into the pressure you bring to the game,you need to be at the coal face to register them, not scouting the pack.

 

[catempire]

I agree it's novel and most stats are just that stats but I believe free kicks fore and against are a window into the pressure you bring to the game,you need to be at the coal face to register them, not scouting the pack.

He’s done well to get more contested possessions by scouting the pack.

 

[iameviljez]

This blokes getting a free ride in this thread.Here is a little thing I use to gauge work rate and genuine commitment to the contest it's basis is free kicks fore and against

Zuthrie frees fore and against 2022, 35 off 21 games
Zuthrie frees fore and against 2023, 17 off 20 games

That's like rating airline safety by average fuel consumption and restaurant quality by napkin colour

 

[iameviljez]

Injuries have played a massive part - always seems to be at least one important cog missing from defence. Henry and Bews currently.

But it's not even just the back 6. A huge factor in our defence last year was the Stanley/Blicavs combination allowing Stanley to drop back behind play. Stanley missed half the season and Blicavs is currently injured.

Just no continuity to build any cohesion.

No doubt other factors as well, but I think injuries has to be a clear #1.

And age. Of all our players who contribute solidly to defence, Blicavs, Duncan and Stanley are 32, Tuohy is 33, Stewart is 30. They are all at an age where decline is to be expected.